NRS442.009. Examination of infants: Priority in contracting with laboratory.

      1.  Except as otherwise provided in this section, if the State Board of Health requires the Division to provide for the services of a laboratory to determine the presence of certain preventable or inheritable disorders in an infant pursuant to NRS 442.008, the Division shall contract with a laboratory in the following order of priority:

      (a) The State Public Health Laboratory;

      (b) Any other qualified laboratory located within this State; or

      (c) Any qualified laboratory located outside of this State.

      2.  The Division shall not contract with a laboratory in a lower category of priority unless the Division determines that:

      (a) A laboratory in a higher category of priority is not capable of performing all the tests required to determine the presence of certain preventable or inheritable disorders in an infant pursuant to NRS 442.008; or

      (b) The cost to the Division to contract with a laboratory in a higher category of priority is not financially reasonable or exceeds the amount of money available for that purpose.

      3.  For the purpose of determining the category of priority of a laboratory only, the Division is not required to comply with any requirement of competitive bidding or other restriction imposed on the procedure for awarding a contract.

      (Added to NRS by 2011, 460; A 2013, 3048)